The Effects and Consequences of Urbanization and Modernization on Traditional Wedding Practices in Batman Gercüş Region

Abstract

In parallel with Batman's rapid urbanization process, the Gercüş region constitutes an example where traditional and modern lifestyles are intertwined. The economic transformation that began with the discovery of oil in the 1930s deeply affected the demographic and cultural structure of the region. In this process, wedding practices also underwent a spatial change, moving from homes to streets and wedding halls. Traditionally celebrated by men and women in separate venues, weddings have transformed into mixed parties with modernization. In music and dance practices, local instruments (e.g. drum and zurna) and Western music (pop and electronic) began to be used together.

This article was written by updating and using the data of the BAP project titled “Wedding (Marriage) Rituals in the Batman/Gercüş Region” in which I participated as a researcher between 2009-2011. The article examines how traditional wedding practices in the Gercüş region of Batman are affected by urbanization and modernization processes in the context of “cultural identity” and “tradition”, “urbanization”, “modernization” and “gender”. Based on ethnographic field research, the study analyzes the changes in wedding rituals, music and dance traditions in the region over time. The findings show that while traditional elements are preserved, new practices brought by modern life are also adopted. As a result, it shows that wedding traditions in the Gercüş region of Batman reflect an effort to strike a balance between preserving cultural identity and modernization.